Sorentosite.com Discussions

Bought in December 2008 as a brandnew one with 0 km/miles on the odometer, looks like every common Sorento fresh out of the dealers showroom.

My original KIA Sorento EX before modification:

- 170 hp 2,5 Liter Diesel engine (manufactured by VM Motori S.p.A.)
- 16" rims with 245/70 R16 tires
- 5H manual gear-shift
- Manual 4WD with reduction

Info:
Compared with the EX-Version of the Sorento sold in Germany by KIA, the configuration of my spanish one was slightly different. The german EX-version, when delivered, has automatic 4WD, factory attached 17" rims and 245/65 R17 tires, rear park distance control, front seat heating, wiper park position heating, electronic stability control, cruise control and an additional motor heater. Mine wasn't equipped with all this when delivered. It's a KIA philosophy in Europe to configure the Sorento different for each country. God only knows why.

Also noteworthy:
Owner of Sorentos, who have imported their cars from the States into Europe, will have one big problem here: There are no spare parts available in stock! KIA's database of vehicle identification numbers here in Europe is laid out to european Sorentos only. Spare parts for e.g. US-imports must be ordered directly in Korea(!). There are absolutly no parts in stock here. And that goes also for asian and arabian Sorento-imports. I do not know the exact reason why it is this way (because I think all Sorentos are built the same way) but it is as it is. I know a lot of guys who have US-imports (or from asian or arabian countrys) and they all suffer from this fact and also from very, very long delivery times from Korea in case they need something. And they always pray for the correct part to be delivered.

The day I took him out of the showroom after home arrival.

Sorry, no picture due to recent server crash!


Current modifications (in order of attachment) as of 1st October 2010:

- KIA OEM (by CRD) pedals from the Executive-Sorento
- KIA OEM cruise control retrofitted
- KIA OEM 17" rims 17" with 245/65 R17 Michelin Latitude HP Pro tires
- Descent chrome decorations (already removed again)
- KIA (Mobis) OEM floor mats added
- KIA Autonet HAVN-100 multimedia and navigation device installed
- GOODYEAR Wrangler AT/R 245/65 R17
- Boot tidy installed
- KIA (Mobis) OEM grill from the korean Sorento attached
- Daylight module installed
- KIA (Mobis) OEM emblem for the trunk added
- KIA (Mobis) OEM center wheel caps added
- KIA (Mobis) OEM rear mirror added
- KIA (Mobis) OEM B-pillars added
- Rims, powder coated in silk matt black
- Pushbar, refurbished & powder coated in silk matt black attached
- HELLA Micro FF high beams attached
- Debadged the tailgate
- Daylight module for headlights removed
- New LED daylights by DECTANE

Planned for the future: (All plannings cancelled, car is sold)

- 45mm (~2 inch) lift with H&R springs (planned for 1st week in Nov.)
- Site skirt yellow LED position lighting (experimental)
- Back-up warner ("piep--piep---piep"), just to tease my gal

Some modification pics:

Changed from orginal to the Executive-Pedals

Sorry, no picture due to recent server crash!

Attached bull bar and additional headlights

Sorry, no picture due to recent server crash!

Built in new multimedia device (KIA AUTONET HAVN-100)



...to be continued

Decent chrom decorations:

Side flashers chrome frames (meanwhile frames had to be removed due to gritting salt attack)



Chrome water nozzle caps on the hood (meanwhile caps had to be removed due to gritting salt attack)



My newest supplement (even a small one) and a nice gift from my girlfriend:

A 3-part bag to keep a little order in the boot (e.g. for warning triangle and safety vest, first aid box). With printed KIA logo and the lettering "POLIZEI NRW" (Police of Germany's federal country North-Rhine Westphalia), the Police I serve.

Now it has happened. A couple of days ago a stranger has dared to hurt my Sori when I was reversing from a parking lot. I was turning to early when he suddenly torn off the whole front bumper and the bullbar.

The offender tried to flee from the scene but he was wedged later by my colleague and me with our patrol car. There he was, detained from leaving the scene. I was so angry that I yelled at him as loud as I could. Because of that yelling he bent from fear to the back and solidified. Now it was easy to arrest him.

Unfortunately he was not able to pay the damage to the Sori so that I stayed down on all costs. 3000 Euro (almost US$ 4000). But the worst is that my Sori looks so naked without his front bullbar.

By the way, the first name of the offender is Wooden, the last name is Pile. I hate Mr. Wooden Pile and I'd love to    him in the    every day.




Photo of my now "naked" Sori.




Photo of the offender (after beeing arrested) who did this to my beloved "fat guy"  




Marginal note:
The main parts (bumper, fender) were rapaired within one week, including the paintwork. But bits and pieces had to be ordered directly in Korea so that the complete repair was done only after one month. That's because KIA Germany only stocks up parts which are often needed for repairs. Bits and pieces (like the little spoilers under the front bumper) are not stocked up. They have to be ordered in Korea. It took four weeks and they were delivered on sea route via around the "Horn of Africa". I am glad that pirates did not enter the container freighter.

Today, early in the morning, I attached the new grill to my "fat guy" within 10 minutes and when I returned to my apartment the breakfast was already served.

Sorry for the bad light, as I mentioned it was early that day (about 06:38 am).



...and a little "4x4" decal on the doors. I also had to remove the chrome applications from the water-nozzles and from the side indicators. The hard winter here in Germany and tons of gritting salt made them look ugly (blistered) in spite of polish protection. Only the chrome caps on the mirrors "survived".



Now I am waiting for the same emblem as it is in the grill (of course a little bit smaller) for the trunk which I've ordered a couple of days ago in Korea at a specialized KIA dealer.

It's done. Daylight module is installed and it works perfectly.


The highbeams are adjusted to approx. 30% of their maximum capacity...




...to avoid blinding of encountering traffic (the adjustment range is 10%-90%, adjustable by potentiometer).




Just by comparison: 20% of max. capacity. Much to little in my eyes. Looks more like a candle is smouldering behind the glass.




Blue highbeam control light illuminates also dimmed (according to the setting of the potentiometer) to signal that the daylight module is OK and nicely working. It goes off after activation of parking lights or dimmed headlights and illuminates up to its maximum when normal highbeams are used.




Any value higher than ~35% causes blinding. So adjusting the module to an output of 30% of the highbeams max. capacity seems to be a good compromise. All other light functions are working as before. The highbeams are working normal when needed and according to german rules the daylights go off or dimm (in my case they go off) when parking lights or dimmed headlights are activated. Undimmed daylight and dimmed headlight together is prohibited in my country and can cause severe trouble to your wallet.

It is also possible to connect the module to the dimmed high beams or the fog lights if you wish to do so to get the daylight effect. But I think it looks better having the high beams dimmed as a daylight. Anyway its again forbidden here to run the fog lights as a daylight.

I do not know the rules in the States. Are there comparable rules or are you guys free to choose wether you run the fog lights or the dimmed high beams as a daylight? Please give me an update. I am curious.

Btw: Such an installation on a Sorento looks very noble & professional. It gives the Sorento a high-class touch and it's last but not least in the interest of safety.

There they are. My new center wheel caps. They came in yesterday. Bought in the States but delivered from Korea. Maybe they have their warehouse there. Hmm!?

Whatever...

Front




Rear



Now that I have seen them I want my tires powder coated in matt black. I already have an offer of 80 Euro (~102 US$) per tyre but my female government is simultaneously the minister of finance. It'll be a hard debate.

Pics of the changed rims will be made but not before the end of May due to some kind of "workoverload" and therefore not enough time. There are too many out there and my captain ordered me as a to reduce my sparetime and to direct my attention more on protecting the innocent and upholding the law.

KIA logo for the trunk is installed. Was a little bit tricky though, had to give it a little clap so that the plastic hooks could better tuck into the holes.

Here's the result of half an hour work:





Tucking the emblem in was actually easy, but removing the glue rest from its predecessor was hard work.

I used a hair dryer and now I have a blister on my scorched forefinger.

New center wheel caps are installed.

Even though another small update with a korean Sorento OEM emblem, but it gives the Sori a special look. It's present all around the car, in the grill, on the trunk and now on the rims.



Detail (sorry for the dirt, but it's raining here various times througout the day)



Another misfortune happened a few days ago.

While I was opening the tailgate it slipped off my wet hand and smashed against the garage door. Now I have a tiny dent exactly at the rabbet of the tailgate. The dent is only visible if you take a very close look to it, but the reflection of the light shows it very clearly. Today I talked to leader of my workshop and he made an appointment early next month with a so called "dent doctor". It'll be a small expense to fix it up.

Glad to know that.

Edit 06/13/2010: The damage is perfectly repaired by the dent-doctor and a new emblem is also attached to the trunk.

Oh, I almost forgot! I did a little photo shop experiment with one of the rims. That's what I plan for the future. Powder coating in matt black thereby leaving a small outer ring in silver and the caps as they are.



What do you think?

Because my Sori is factory-sided not equipped with park distance control I decided to add a "one-eye-solution".

The mirror is an original MOBIS part for the Sorento and imported from Korea. It is first to be hung in at the upper edge of the rear window and then fixed on the window with with pre attached 3M tape.

And this is the result of thirty seconds work:







I am satisfied with the result.

When backing up obstacles appear 0,5 mtrs. (~20 inch) in the mirrorglass before they would be touched by the car. More than enough to stop backing up without any danger.

The mirror glass is arched and adjustable to your needs.

Today I found a little damage to the door seal. It's simply ripped as a result of being chafed.

I showed this damage to my workshop leader. He said that it is a well known and usual damage to the door seal and covered by the warranty. It'll be fixed within the next service at 30000 km.

The door's still waterproof.

See pic...